


The Pianist

by KermitSpice



Category: Men of the Sand, Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), Snake Eyes Curse
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Bisexy, Character Development, Child Abuse, Implied Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Self Harm, Snake Eyes - Freeform, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Suicide Attempt, curse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:54:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 9,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24886441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KermitSpice/pseuds/KermitSpice
Summary: Dan and Phil are high school students who have never spoken to each other... or so they think. The two twinks exchange words through anonymous notes until Phil finally confronts Dan. What happens next will blow your dick off...Phil reveals his big secret- A secret that relies on Dan's cooperation. But Dan has a secret, too, and he can't let anyone get close to him. It's too dangerous...---disclaimer: the start of this story is inspired by some other fanfictions/orignal works i've read (i don't remember the titles or authors sorry) but that's just the beginning and the rest of the story is 100% original concepts. mostly.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester, T-Pain/Bruno Mars
Kudos: 2





	1. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Before you read The Pianist, you should know that:
> 
> a) the POV switches between Dan and Phil mid-chapter sometimes. This will be identified by hyphens
> 
> b) this story will contain mature themes and triggering content (eg; ab*se, s*lf h*rm, and su*cide) There will be specific warnings at the beginning of any chapters that do contain this, but read with caution <3

I sat down at my piano and found a piece of paper sitting on top of it. 

"Hello Pianist, I think your piano is out of tune. You should probably fix it :)" They wrote, as if the piano was my responsibility and not the schools? I was playing it yesterday- I had no more classes and the music teacher liked me enough to let me in. I liked to practice before I had to go back home. Whoever put this note here must've done it after I left, which I thought was a bit weird, innit? It was the end of the day and class was over. Were they waiting for me the whole time, listening to me practice, judging me? That thought made my skin crawl. 

Either way, I reached into my backpack and pulled out a notebook. I tore off the corner of a page and I wrote:

"I'm guessing you play piano too then, if you can tell so easily. A repair man is coming on Tuesday to fix it." 

\--

I walked into the music class after lunch, having devoured the best lunch from the cafeteria- hotdog with ketchup- and sat down at the piano, ready to rehearse with my group. I lifted the lid that covers the keys, only to find a scrap of paper kept underneath. When I unfolded it, I saw it was a response to the note I'd left the mysterious piano player! The pianist, if you will. While my group readied their sheet music, I wrote back to them:

"Hello Pianist, that's good to hear. By the way... Was that a My Chemical Romance song you were playing yesterday? They're my favourite and it sounded like it :)"

I tucked the note into my pocket and made sure to leave it on the piano when class was over, praying that we were the last music lesson of the day. After school I walked past the room on my way to the school bus and saw a new note on the piano! I ducked in and grabbed it before leaving and read it on the bus ride home.

"Dear :) Yes, it was Helena by MCR. They're one of my favourite bands too." When I got home, I wondered what to write next. It was like having a new weird kind of penpal.

\--

I scurried to the music room at the start of lunch. I didn't have any friends or nothin', so I just practised the piano. I was improving quickly with this, as well as my after-school sessions which could sometimes last 2 hours. The longer, the better I thought. Not like I had a piano at home. Obviously, I was self-taught, but clearly I was a good teacher. When I sat down, I found yet another note left for me. 

"Hello Pianist, what's ya name, age, and occupation? I think it's weird to talk like this when I don't even know your name, age, or occupation. We're both musicians and like the same bands, I think we could be good friends :)"

I held the note and got lost in my thoughts for a moment. This :) person does seem nice, but that's only because they don't know who I am. If they knew I was the one they were writing to, they'd never write to me again. People like me don't make good friends. Bloody hell, I don't even talk. 

"I'd rather stay anonymous."


	2. Bring Me To Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: biphobia/homophobia mentions, f slur (reclaimed)

He said he wanted to remain anonymous. I sighed, but it didn't quell my curiosity. I understood why he wanted to, but I really wanted to get to know him. Well, I assumed this person was a boy. I don't really know why. It's probably because I'm bisexy. I hoped they were a boy. 

I pocketed the note and left the music room. On the way out, I ran into another boy in my grade, I think his name was Daniel. I looked back at him, but he walked straight inside, like I wasn't even there. 

\--

I never went home right after school. I always hung out in the music room, playing piano, so I could avoid spending more time at my house. It was where I lived, but it wasn't a home. I didn't have many good memories there... 

When the final bell rang and all the senior students poured out of their classrooms, I had to join them. I gathered up my sheet music and left. I made it home just before my dad did. My brother, who was sitting at the kitchen table having a bit of a snack, gave me a small smile, but I headed to my bedroom before my parents could see me. I would've just been ignored anyway. Shutting people out was better than letting them ignore me. It felt like I had a say in it. 

It all started when I came out as bisexy. My parents didn't understand and treated me like a disgusting abomination for liking boys. They tried to deny it, but I told them I'd never change, and this was who I was. I knew the only reason they still let me live here is because I don't talk, and they know my chances of getting a boyfriend are impossibly low anyway, so who cares if I'm a major faggot? Since they don't have to pretend to be supportive or hear me preach my "gay agenda", they could just pretend it didn't exist. 

My relationship with dad was already ruined, but I thought I could I still count on mum, and my brother, but after I came out, I could tell it'd never be the same. My brother didn't treat me badly, but I knew what he thought of me. What mum and dad had told him about me. 

I flopped face-first into my bed and just lay there in silence. 

\--

I awoke to the smell of the American Dream- bacon and eggs. I went downstairs, greeted by my mom, and chowed down while I still had the time. She offered me a Pop-Tart but I said no. I often overslept and didn't have much time before I had to get on the bus. I quickly got dressed. On the bus ride to school, I scrawled down another note for the pianist. 

"Hello Pianist, I understand if you want to be anonymous. If you ever change your mind, I wouldn't mind :) I was wondering, do you have the sheet music for Bring Me To Life by Evanescence? It's an emo classic. One day I'd like to play for you :)"

The next day, the sheet music was left atop the piano. At first, I thought someone had just forgotten something, but it was Evanescence, so I knew that the Pianist had gotten my note. I sat down and started playing. I hadn't played for fun in a long time, usually I only played piano to pass my music class.

After a few practices, I heard someone singing the words from outside the door. I looked over, but I couldn't see anyone- The window was too blurry. I stopped playing and want to the door but nobody was there. They must've gotten embarrassed and left. 

Later, I returned to leave a note at the piano, but there was already someone inside the music room. It was a boy in my grade, the one I'd bumped into a few days ago, but now I'd confirmed his name was definitely Daniel. He was playing the piano. I wondered if he was the Pianist. 

I asked him what song he was playing, but he didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out his phone, typed on it and handed it to me. Kinda rude, but whatever. The screen read "Airplanes by B.O.B ft Hayley Williams". I don't like pop music, so I didn't recognise it. I thanked him and simply left. 

\--

It had to be him. Phillipe Lester was the one who asked for Bring Me To Life. He's the one who sent me the notes. He was the :) and he'd just left the room. 

I sat still for a while as the realisation dawned on me, but I quickly got back to my music. Music was the one thing that calmed me down and helped me feel at peace, even if I was on the verge of a panic attack. I'd just play American Boy as loud as I could and drown out the feelings. Music was better than any drug or party. Even better than havin' a shag. Music was my escape. And right now I was trying to escape my thoughts of Phil Lester. Him sending me notes didn't change anything, he didn't know he was writing to me. He was only being nice because he'd obviously created an idealised person in his head. 

People like me don't have friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't forget to leave kudos <3


	3. Airplanes in the Night Sky

I sat back and observed the rest of the music class struggle with the piece we'd been assigned. I had no trouble, but that's because music was the only thing I was good at. The piano practising paid off nicely, my straight-A grade was proof. My classmate, Jordan, came up to me and asked for help and I reluctantly did. I felt like that was the only reason anyone talked to me. To use me. 

While I was teaching him, I looked up to see Phillip staring at me. Did he know I was the one he was sending notes to? Unless he had magic powers, I can't imagine he'd know it was me. After class ended, he came up to me, as if he was going to start a conversation. Not in the mood... I just flipped him off and walked away. I hadn't spoken to anyone in almost ten years. Why did he think I'd start talking now?

When I got home that evening, dinner had already been eaten. I spent as much time in the music room as I was allowed, and then I took the long walk home. There were probably cold leftovers in the fridge for me, but I didn't care enough to check. Skipping dinner, I headed straight to the bathroom. Hidden under the sink behind back-up shampoo bottles and toilet paper rolls, even behind the pipes, was a little jar that I'd filled with comfort items. Why did I keep it in the bathroom and not my bedroom? I don't know. The bathroom felt like a bit of a cheeky safe haven though, innit? Probably because it was the only door with a lock on it. 

I pulled a ball of cotton wool from the jar and gently began to pull it apart. The soft and fluffy sensations soothed my soul. As a child, I found it very entertaining, so I think the nostalgic element also helped to calm me. I chuckled to myself. Some teenagers found comfort in partying, having a pint, and weed and having a shag, but not me. I just had my cotton wool.

As I pulled it apart, I reflected on my day at school. There was no note from :) today, so I grabbed the jar again and pulled the old notes out. That's where I kept them, since they were also comforting to me. Even though I'd never spoken to Phil, he felt like a friend. Even if he didn't know it was me. It was just nice having someone to talk to. Anyway, I'd prefer it if he never found out it was me. I pulled out a lolly and a bit of Cadbury from the jar and enjoyed the sweet tastes while I folded the notes again and put them away safely. 

Pulling apart the final wisps of cotton, I looked out the bathroom window and admired the sunset. Soon it would be dark outside, soon the stars would come. I sighed. 

I could really use a wish right now...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave kudos if you enjoyed!! xoxo


	4. Cannibal Holocaust, Mom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw: child abuse, alcoholism

I sat on the edge of my bed, a small pill sat in my palm. I hesitated before tipping my head back and swallowing it with a sip of Dr Pepper, America's beloved soda. It had been a while since I'd had any- Pills, not Dr Pepper. It took a long time to find the right medication for me, but this one seemed to do the trick. I wasn't depressed, but I wasn't fine either. It was hard for me to describe what was wrong with me, but to put it simply, on the bad days, I could barely bring myself to crawl out of my sarcophagus. This was one of those days.

I pulled a page out of the notebook that sat on my bedside table.

"Hello Pianist, it's been a while since we spoke. Spoke isn't exactly the right word, since this is on paper, but you know what I mean. I don't think there's any point asking you how you are, so I won't."

From there on, my mind went blank. I left the note sitting on my bedside table and swallowed the rest of my Dr Pepper. I ultimately resolved to crawl under my duvet. Grabbing my beloved lion plushie from the headboard, I slid into the warmth of my blankets and desperately tried to sleep.

\--

I laid under my black-and-white checker-print blankets and tried to hold back tears.

I thought of the night I snuck out for the first time. 

We were only 8 years old at the time, so the idea of sneaking out in the dark of night was exhilarating. We'd made plans to go to the treehouse that Euanio's dad had made us in the summer and spend the night there, since we hadn't been allowed to come over and see it yet. 

It was gonna be the five of us; Me, Euanio, Jeffrey, PJ, and Markiplier. Euanio lived in the middle of town and we could all easily get there. Jeffrey lived across the street, I lived around the corner, and the rest of us had bikes anyway. We'd been planning this for weeks, PJ even managed to grab his dad's portable DVD player without him noticing it was gone. I raided my kitchen cupboard and managed to find a packet of crisps that had been unopened and Jeffrey told us he'd used his pocket money to buy a bottle of Fanta from the corner store. PJ recently got some cards for a game called 'Magic: The Gathering' and he was going to teach us how to play. It was going to be the perfect night.

Halfway through Cannibal Holocaust, we were busted.

Euanio's mum came outside to give some food to the dog, and that's when she saw a light in the treehouse. As she walked closer to investigate, she heard voices and the rest is history. She lit up in fury, yelling at Euanio, only to discover there were 5 of us. She immediately called our parents while berating us. Markiplier tried to stand his ground, but she got us all out of the tree in a mere matter of seconds. Our master scheme, foiled in an instant, and we'd never been in trouble like this before. If it weren't for the dog, she never would have found out. Fuck Diggy... I know Euanio held a grudge against that dog for quite some time.

Our night came to an end as I saw Momiplier pull up in the driveway. It was really over. We all said our goodbyes as our parents came to collect us. I received a lecture from mum on the way home and expected to get the same from dad when I set foot in the door.

It started with a lecture. A lecture that progressively got louder and louder. This lecture was fuelled by a lot of alcohol on my dad's part. He kept going, and no matter how much I apologised, he just wouldn't stop yelling. Eventually he began yelling about things that weren't even my fault, things that had nothing to do with me. I was already scared shitless about the failed sleepover, but I didn't know things would escalate like this. 

He hit me. He'd never taken out his anger on me before. The last thing I remember from that night was my dad grabbing something from the kitchen counter and as I tried to escape him, I slammed into the kitchen cabinet where we kept all our fine china. The cabinet fell, landing right of top of me, and the world went black. 

When I woke up in the hospital, I didn't see my family. I awoke to see the worried faces of Mr and Mrs Welbsworth, the neighbours. A man in a white coat emerged- I recognised him as the doctor. 

"Daniel," He said, "I'm glad to see you're awake. You're probably wondering what happened." I was frozen solid in the hospital bed, and I couldn't get a word out. 

"Mr and Mrs Welbsworth brought you here last night. You had glass lodged in your neck and suffered severe internal bleeding. You've already had an operation and the glass is gone, but as a result, you'll be unable to speak. Recovery will be long and painful, but it is possible for you to regain your voice. I understand this must be a shock, but at least you made it." 

The Welbsworths told me that they heard the commotion and came to our house immediately, and found my mum trying to stop the bleeding. She didn't want to go to the hospital, for fear of social services getting involved, but the Welbsworths knew I needed urgent care so they took me from my "family" by force and called an ambulance. 

I found out that Mr and Mrs Welbsworth had actually reported my parents to social services despite my mum's pleas, but as it was an isolated incident, nothing came of it, except my father was told to attend AA meetings after he tried to excuse his abuse by admitting he was drunk. My mum forced him to stick to it, and thankfully he never did lay a hand on me again. But of course, after I came out as bisexy... Things have never been the same since.

One day, I discovered that I got my voice back. It was weak and faint, but it could be heard. I didn't tell anyone, though. Sometimes I would work on improving, making my voice louder and less croaky, but I still hadn't spoken to anyone since that sleepover.


	5. Theory of a Dead Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: suicide mention

"Hello Pianist, I have come to a conclusion. I have a theory. A game theory. 

If something is supposed to happen to you, it will. If you're supposed to do something, you will. If there is someone you're supposed to meet, you will. It sounds cheesy, but I think the universe has a plan for you. I'll stop trying to figure out who you are now. If my theory is correct, I will meet you when I'm supposed to. 

That is all :)"

I was left waiting for 2 weeks after that note. The Pianist never wrote back. Did I scare him off? Was my theory totally wrong? I sat and prayed that it was correct, and that the universe was just falling into place, but that's when we got the PA announcement. Our grade was going to be attending a seminar about suicide awareness.

A student had attempted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the short chapter :( It just wouldn't make sense to switch POV now and Phil doesn't do anything interesting after this anyway so,... Look out for the next chapter kermites, but Chapter 8 is where is gets good ^-^ This is all just set-up xoxo


	6. Jiminy Cricket

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: suicide mention

Hospitals were the blood wurst... 

Everything was white, there were constant electric whirrs and beeps. I just wanted to be out of here as soon as possible. I wasn't allowed to have my phone, or my laptop. No music. Just left with my own thoughts, all day, every day.

I felt awful. I had nowhere to escape to. The only thing I could do to stop thinking was sleep, but there's only so much of that you can do. They let me have a notebook, so sometimes I wrote in that. Mostly song lyrics, but sometimes it was like a diary to me. I couldn't write my true feelings, though, for fear that the nurses would read it and keep me here longer. I still wanted to die. 

The door clicked open and Mr and Mrs Welbsworth walked in. They smiled at me before sitting in the chairs beside my bed. 

"How are you going, Daniel?" Mrs Welbsworth said warmly. I could only nod as a response. "We were just popping in to check on you. I'm glad you're okay." I had to fight the urge not to roll me eyes. I was not 'okay'. 

The next morning, the strangest thing happened to me. I opened my eyes and saw an old woman sitting in the chair next to me. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw it was actually a young lady, her hair was just dyed and cut atrociously short. She was wearing all white, which I thought was odd, and very uncomplimentary. Very ghostly. She looked over at me and noticed I was awake. 

"Hi, I'm Ellen." I didn't respond. "I think you're in here for the same reason I am. That true?" I stared at her blankly, how would I know why she was in here? 

"Well, I tried to kill myself." She confessed.


	7. Blood Wurst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: brief depiction of self harm

When I returned to school, there was a note tucked under the cushion of the piano seat. I was surprised to see it there. Who knows when :) wrote it? As I read his words, I felt a small tinge of hope.

"Dear :)

You will meet me one day, and when you do, you will be disappointed. I am a nobody, and you're better not getting involved. It's strange to think that you're a real person at all, :). Who would waste time writing notes to me? You must be rather strange. Or just naive."

\--

I held the note in my hands and ran my fingers over the torn edges. 'An outsider...' That's all The Pianist thinks he is. That could be true, but maybe not.

\--

Blood.

I've never actually done this before. I've always stuck to my cotton wool. This was a new kind of pleasure, innit. Seeing the red run down my skin like raindrops on a window pane.

"I've had it! I don't need you being in some kind of a mood right now!"

The words echoed through my mind. Why couldn't she understand? She'd been my mother for 17 years, this wasn't a bloody 'mood'. This was me every day, I just couldn't hide it today. It didn't matter to her that I have scars and fresh wounds under my clothes. It didn't matter to her that I'm breaking again and again.


	8. Feel the Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: mentions of self harm

I didn't know what to do. The newest note from the Pianist came with four red splotches on it. They looked smudged, as though the Pianist had tried to get rid of them, but I knew what they were. Blood.

Screw my theory, I had to take destiny into my own hands. I had an idea of who the Pianist was, and I had to find him. I was not about to let this blood go to waste. Shoving the note into my mouth, I headed out of the music room.

I didn't know Daniel's schedule so I had no idea where he'd be now. There was only one lesson left. I'd have to wait until tomorrow to confront him, unless I got lucky.

Sure enough, I got lucky. Before going to English class, I went to the bathroom and j-lo and behold: Dan Howell was standing at the sink.

He lowered his gaze when he saw me enter, but I walked toward him.

"You're the Pianist, aren't you?" I asked.


	9. Blood, Blood, Gallons of the Stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: mentions of self harm and scars

"You're the Pianist, aren't you?" Phil asked.

I hadn't spoken to anyone in almost ten years. Why did he think I'd start talking now?

"The what?" I asked. The only reason I spoke at all was because I knew he was :)

"The Pianist. Don't play dumb with me, boy. I know the truth." He looked at me with such intensity. I didn't expect Phillipe to be this assertive... I couldn't back down. If I hid in a stall, he wouldn't give up, and I couldn't get past him to the exit.

"Yes. It's me," I confessed, "But I don't know why you care."

"I don't think you're as much of an outsider as you say you are, Daniel," the raven-haired boy said, "But furthermore, I saw the blood."

The blood... Fuck, I knew writing a note to :) after cutting myself was a mistake. I was frozen. Would Phil defrost me? Or would he force me to see the counsellor, resulting in another trip to the psych ward? I just wanted to melt and drip down the drain...

I watched as Phil slowly rolled up his own sleeve, to reveal scars on his own arms. As if that would make me feel better? Some kind of sick solidarity? Yeah, not gonna work, Phil. I couldn't even react.

"I need blood, Dan," He said.

I was taken aback. Baffled, even. He continued before I had a chance to ask him what the fuck was wrong with him.

"I need to get it from somewhere, and if you, The Pianist, are already bleeding, I hardly think it's fair to just let it go to waste. We already have a connection, Pianist, you can't deny that." He inched closer to me as he explained. Well, I'd hardly call it an explanation, but it was something. "Are you gonna cowboy up or just lay there and bleed?"

"What are you some kind of fucking vampire?" I asked.

Phil shook his head. "I'm a blood mage. I can perform magic." I couldn't help but laugh. I looked into his icy blue orbs- No, he was dead serious. Suicidal and absolutely mental... Okay Phillip.

"I know it sounds fake, but seriously, Dan," Phil pleaded, "Ever since I was a child, I've been able to do things, things that other people can't fathom." I shook my head and tried to leave, but Phil stood in front of the door.

"Dan, there's only so much blood I can drain. If I stop practising, my magic will fade."

"Well, what do you do with this magic then, Phillip?" I asked. I saw his body relax slightly as a result of my cooperation. So naive, I was just taking the piss out of him.

"I can do all sorts of things, Dan. I can use my magic to protect, to influence others, and to twist fate. It's the blood that powers my magic. I can do anything if I want it enough, but the more blood I use, the stronger the magic." He took a breath. "Recently, I haven't been able to do magic like I used to. My blood isn't strong enough anymore."

Phil broke the eye contact he'd been maintaining with me and turned to face himself in the bathroom mirror. I turned too, looking at the Phil reflected in the mirror.

"I have iron deficiency."


	10. It's In The Eyes

I stormed out of the bathroom and headed towards the exit of the building. I couldn't put up with this shit, I just wanted to be left alone. Why wouldn't anyone listen? They're better off not trying to be my friend. Now Phil was going to start pestering me about my fucking blood and my note-sending with :) was officially over.

I took a familiar path home and found exactly what I'd needed along the way. Chris and PJ's alleyway. Tucked behind the back door to a crappy old take out store, was the games alley. Milk crates for chairs, an old barrel for a table, and a cardboard box hidden behind the dumpster full of second hand games and cards, plastic wrapped for protection. Fortunately, Chris and PJ were in the alley.

"Hey Dan!" PJ greeted me.

We didn't hang out persay, but I knew they'd always be here if I needed them. I still hadn't spoken to them since the sleepover.

"Hey..." I'd already ruined by 9-year no-talking streak with Phillipe fucking Lester, so I might as well speak to Chris and Peej. I could see them spark up at the sound of my voice, but neither of them actively acknowledged it.

We chatted for a while just to catch up. It'd been about a year since I last saw either of them. I asked them about the rest of the gang. Jeffrey and Markiplier had drifted away into other friend groups even though they went to the same high school as Chris and Peej. I'd expected as much. It's easy to go along with anyone when you're kids, but as teenagers your interests really divide you. I'm still not really sure what's happened to Euanio.

"Euanio? Oh! Yeah, he gets everyone to call him 'Vanilla Ice' now. Last time I checked, he was really interested in vampires. You remember Diggy? His dog? Well rumour has it, he abandoned his Stand in favour of beating Diggy to death with his bare hands and feet while blaming the dog for everything. Crazy stuff, man" PJ said.

"Oh! Peej got some new dice, Dan!" Chris announced. On queue, PJ revealed a little bag, tied shut with string. He opened it to expose a set of lustrous dice inside.

"Got 'em from a weird little shop I found when I visited my grandparents last week" PJ said while pouring the dice onto the table. "But we probably shouldn't use them, the shop owner said that if you get snake eyes, you get cursed."

I scoffed. "As if I could ever roll a double with my bad luck." I sat down and grabbed two of the dice to prove my point. The dice stopped rolling and landed on two 1's.

I felt my soul contract, my eyes rolling back into my head. I was weightless and saw nothing but black smoke. The smoke cleared but I was in a vacant blank void. I tried to move but my ankles were flaccid. Chris and PJ were gone, but a man appeared before me. It was the Devil. A shiver rolled down my spine and I watched as the ground got further and further away- I was beginning to float. I tried to move my legs but I was frozen solid, like in a state of sleep paralysis, only standing. I rose uncontrollably.

Thwip!

The strings keeping me above the ground were cut and I crash landed back into reality. I could sense Chris and PJ's presences beside me. My vision blurred like TV static- I felt like I was about to throw up.

"Dan!" I heard someone call my name. A warm touch against my arm brought me back to my sanity. The static cleared and I saw Chris beside me. I looked to him for reassurance but he jolted as if he'd been electrocuted. Chris fell to the ground, limp on the asphalt by the dumpster. I didn't have enough control of my body to do anything. I could only watch as PJ leaped from his seat and checked for Chris' pulse.


	11. Crank That (Danny Boy)

When I got home, I immediately headed for the bathroom. I grabbed my headphones and blasted Crank That (Souja Boy) as loud as I could as I scrambled to the sink cabinet to retrieve my comfort jar. I really wished I was in the music room right now. I desperately needed to play piano to wind down from whatever the fuck that was, but that wasn't an option.

Chris was dead.

I struggled to open the jar, my hands were shaking so ferociously. I dropped the jar onto the cold bathroom tile and my heart stopped in fear of it shattering, but it didn't. I sobbed harder.

I took deep breaths, trying to regulate my breathing enough to give me the strength to open the jar. The lid unscrewed and I reached for the last cotton wool ball I had left. I tried to hold back the tears as I tore the cotton apart but they fought their way down my cheeks.

\--

I hesitated before leaving the note by the piano.

"Hello Daniel, I guess there's no point calling you The Pianist anymore. I get that I might have scared you in the bathroom the other day, but I was being serious. I can sense the power you hold. You know where to find me if you want to make a deal :)"

I hadn't seen Dan in a few days. I worried that it was my fault he stopped coming to school.


	12. Like a Melody I can't Keep Out

I was finally back at school. Maths class was boring, I couldn't care less about trigonometry. My teacher didn't talk to me or nothin', so I just drew lyrics in my notebook the whole time instead of doing the exercises. School's bullshit anyway, innit? And my mate Chris just DIED. 

After maths, I didn't have a class so I went straight to the music room, thankfully to find it was empty. I sat down at the piano and went to start playing, when a scrap of paper fell into my lap. Phillipe fucking Lester.

I unfolded his note and read it, albeit reluctantly. The same shit as what he said in the bathroom. Sod off Phil...

I was finding the sheet music for my piano arrangement of Replay by IYAZ when the door creaked open, but I didn't notice until it was too late. I started playing and a voice from behind spoke, "Daniel! Sorry, we need to use this room for a rehearsal right now-"

I turned my head mid-chord to see the music teacher standing in the doorway. When I made eye contact, she collapsed. A student holding a flute who was standing behind her screamed and ran to get help, but just like in the alleyway with Chris, I was frozen in place.

It happened again... It's like I was fucking cursed or somethin', innit. My third eye opened and PJ's words flashed back to me. The shop owner said that if you get snake eyes, you get cursed...

I jolted upright, haphazardly grabbed my backpack and ran out of the school. This had to end now.


	13. I Gotta Feeling

I charged through the gates of PJ's high school but suddenly realised I had no idea where I was going. I'd spoken to Peej once this year, and that was just before I killed Chris- I didn't know his schedule. A wonderful scheme popped into my head, so I pulled out one of my textbooks from my backpack and went to the front office.

"Hi, I'm a friend of PJ Liguori's, he forgot this textbook that he really needs today, do you mind telling me what class he's in right now?" I said to the lady at the reception desk. She gave me the room number and I desperately tried to find my way around the school.

I saw a building with a sign reading "C" on the front of it, so I walked inside and searched the corridors for C5. I took a deep breath before knocking on the door and walking inside.

Everyone turned to look at me. I saw PJ, and the confusion on his face. I was snapped out of my frozen stance when the teacher asked me what I was here for.

"I-I need to borrow PJ for a minute," I stammered. Luckily for my sake, the teacher didn't ask why. PJ got up and came outside with me.

"Dan, what are you doing here?" He asked incredulously. 

"I need to know where you bought the dice." I said. No bullshit, straight to the point. If it wasn't too far away, I'd be able to make it by train or maybe even by bus today. I couldn't remember where PJ's grandparents lived, but I know he said the shop was closeby.

"The dice?" PJ asked, quizzically. His face dropped, I assume as the realisation hit him. "You got the curse, didn't you? The Snake Eyes curse? It's real?"

I nodded. "I think so." 

\--

I still hadn't seen Dan, but we had music class together at the end of the day. I prayed that he'd gotten my note. There was a super moon soon, and I needed blood for the ritual. I feared my own wouldn't be strong enough. The doctors think I'm anaemic.


	14. It's Magic

After I got home from school, I went upstairs and opened my closet doors. Inside the closet was a white vanity adorned with candles, herbs, my grimoire, and other miscellaneous mystifying objects. My alter. I had it hidden in my closet because I didn't want my mom and dad knowing about my magick. It's not that I thought they'd be unsupportive, I just knew they wouldn't "get" it. 

I grabbed my book of shadows and checked the calendar I'd drawn up to make sure I was remembering correctly.

Three days.

I had three days until the super moon. I needed blood for the ritual. I needed healthy blood for the ritual- Dan's blood. I heaved out a sigh, flopping onto my bed. I didn't think I could pull this off in time. He still hadn't come to school and I feared he wouldn't return. 

I feared he was dead.

\--

I raced around the corner, down the lane, my eyes catching street signs with every turn. It had to be here somewhere! I was never very good with directions, but this was literally life or death. I had to find the store and uncover the secrets of the Snake Eyes Curse.

When I started down the right street, I saw it instantly. A small antiques store with lanterns by the door and old brass objects in the window by a floral armchair. I questioned why the bloody hell PJ would've gone into this store in the first place- it was pretty manky looking.

I meekly entered, and the shopkeep turned his attention to me immediately as the store was completely empty until now. He said nothing, but I felt his eyes follow me as I ambled around the store, hesitating to just ask him about the dice.

With a gulp, I approached the desk.

"How can I help you?" He asked, little to no visible emotion on his face. He didn't seem like a man I could trust. He probably sold PJ the dice knowing they would curse him.

"M-my friend bought some dice from here a while back," I stammered out, "He said they were cursed." The shopkeeper leaned back, a knowing look on his face. I waited, too nervous to elaborate, hoping the man remembered, hoping that he'd say something and ease my nerves.

"He didn't use them, did he?"

I shook my head, my hands shook involuntarily to follow. I took a deep breath, ready to finally get some answers.

"I did."


	15. Curse of the Pharaohs

I listened as the shopkeep confided in me the origins of the Snake Eyes Curse. A broken vase, cursed by a vengeful pharaoh's spirit in Cairo, Egypt unleashed a curse onto a pair of dice. The dice, now implanted with the curse, were passed from man to man until landing in the hands of a cruel ruler, thus defeated. The heroes who defeated him warned of another, a prophecy that foretold of terrible consequences were the dice to fall into specific hands. Naturally, they did. This man, now anointed with the curse himself, duplicated its effects onto several sets of ancient dice, one which ended up in PJ's grandparents' suburb. Just my fucking luck.

"So..." I started, "The evil shaman is still alive? But he's in Egypt?" The shopkeeper nodded gravely.

"There's no way to break the curse so long as he still has control, right?" I asked, almost rhetorically. I was fucked. I was gonna end up killing every bloke who crossed my path. But I couldn't understand why Chris and the teacher were killed, yet PJ and the shopkeep weren't? How did the Snake Eyes select their victims? There was no way to prevent it if I couldn't pinpoint the trigger.

I walked back to the train station with my hood up, head hanging low. There was no salvation for me.

\---

I saw him. Dan was at school today. I watched as he walked into the bathroom, stunned by the realisation that he was really back. I quickly scurried after him, hoping that he was just being emo and didn't actually need to piss or something.

When I walked in, I observed that all cubicle doors were open except for one.

"Dan?" I called out. I felt the air stiffen with tension, even though I couldn't see Dan and he hadn't made any noise the whole time. Just part of my sixth sense, my magical intuition, if you will.

"What do you want, Phillip?"

"I think you know." I didn't want to drag this out any longer than it needed to. I knew how uncomfortable Dan was, but I hoped he could sense my desperation. "It's a super moon in two days, Daniel. I have the potential to perform great magic on that night, but I can't do it on my own." I avoided asking him outright in the hopes he'd be more inclined to help if he thought it was his idea.

"Fine," Dan mumbled out. "I'll give you my blood, you fucking twat."

I smirked.


	16. First Sleepover

"Phillipe, I am not having a fucking sleepover with you," Dan said. I let out a dramatic sigh.

"How do you think I'm gonna perform the ritual unless it's the middle of the night, then?" I told him.

"Just put my blood in a fucking vial or somethin', I don't give a fuck what you do with it, Phil!" He exclaimed. This is exactly why I never told anyone about my magick before, they just seriously do not get it.

"It won't work unless the blood is fresh out of the veins, Daniel!" I explained, "I need you to cut yourself with me, when the moon is out!" I gave him a stern look, attempting to remind him that he did agree to this, so he couldn't back out now. "Meet me at McDonalds after school."

With that, I left. It was pointless trying to convince him to do anything, I'd just have to wait and hope he showed up.

\---

I dragged my body through the doors of McDonalds. Sure enough, I saw Phil slouched over a table at a booth in the corner. I recognised the box beside him to be that of McNuggets, but as I approached the table, I cursed as I saw it was empty. I slid into the booth silently, and Phil looked up. He- dare I say it?- smiled at me?

"Do you want to buy anything before we head to my house?" Phil asked me.

I shook my head. "Haven't got any quid."

"And your parents are okay with you sleeping over?"

I nodded, not that I'd asked them. They wouldn't even notice I was gone.

So Phil led me out of the McDonalds and down the street, towards his house. He tried to make small talk, to no avail. I let out an exasperated sigh.

"Phil! The only reason I agreed to give you my blood for this wizardry is because I'm fucking cursed! Nothing matters anymore because I have a curse, and there's nothing I can do to stop it, so just shut up and stop trying to be my friend!" My outburst visibly shocked Phil, which I noticed by the way his eyes widened. Also, he stopped walking.

"What do you mean 'cursed'?"

"My friend bought this bloody artifact, a pair of dice, and it gave me a curse. It sounds absurd, I know, but it's true. I killed my friend Chris." I said, grimly.

Phil was silent for a few seconds before saying, "I believe you."

As we walked, he asked me more questions about the curse. As much as I hated to admit it, it felt kind of good to talk to someone about my problems.

"And the man told me that the original curse is controlled by a shaman in Egypt. He's still alive today but the only way the curse can be broken is if he dies..." 

Our conversation faded after that, both of us unsure of what could possibly be said.

Phil spoke again to announce, "This is it." A large, two story house, complete with a pruned garden and white picket fence: The American Dream. He opened the door- It was unlocked- and slipped his shoes off. I copied his actions. A woman emerged from one of the rooms that stemmed from the hallway we were in.

"Oh, Phil! Who's your friend?" She asked, smiling warmly. He introduced me to her and she gave a generic 'lovely to meet you' kind of statement. I felt a little sick from the inherent jealousy his mother's warmth instilled in me. Phil had no idea how lucky he was to have a mum that acted like this. 

Phil declined her offer for snacks and took me upstairs to his bedroom. My body shook a little from the nerves- I'd never been in a boy's bedroom before. Phil opened the door and the room seemed to ooze personality. Phil's bedsheets were brightly patterned, his walls adorned with posters of movies or bands I didn't know. He had a lion plushie on his bed, representing some kind of childhood innocence I didn't know he had, given his status as a blood mage.

"We have a few hours still before the sun sets, what do you want to do until then?" Phil asked. I blushed a little, but I didn't exactly know why. The feeling of my cheeks warming up made my heart skip a beat purely from the shock. What was I supposed to do with Phil in his room until sundown?


	17. Big Boys Coming with the Big Trucks

My eyes averted from Phil's face to the keyboard on it's stand in the corner of his room. He caught this, and asked me if I would play something for him. My cheeks flushed pink again, but I nodded. I walked to the keyboard but froze in front of it.

"Can I make a suggestion?" Phil took my silence as a yes. "Do you know Fergalicious?"

"What's a fergalicious? Can you give me the definition?"

"Fergalicious? Definition: Makes the boys go loco."

I tilted my head back and nodded knowingly. I remembered it perfectly. I placed my hands on the keys and began to play. I saw Phil sit on his bed from my peripheral vision, and he watched me intently as I played the entire song. When it was over, I hesitated before turning to face him, nervous as I'd realised how embarrassing it was to perform for someone. I was lost in the music during the song, but now that it was over, I felt anxious again.

"That was.. G-great," Phil stuttered out, but I didn't get why. What did he have to be nervous about? I watched Phil fidget in place on the bed, and that's when my eyes were drawn to his massive fucking boner. My cheeks instantly turned red, like a fucking mood ring displaying embarrassment, and I quickly turned away. Why did he have a gigantic boner right now? Was he staring at my phat ass as I played Fergalicious? 

"I-I can play another one!" I blurted out, desperate to distract myself.

"Ah! N-no, it's okay!" Phil interjected, trying to avoid me, I supposed. "We should probably help my mom with dinner right about now!"

I nodded and followed Phil as he led me downstairs to the kitchen, where we found his mum peeling potatoes. I assumed bangers and mash but she revealed she was making homemade fries to go with the Texas steak that was thawing on the counter beside her. 

She instructed Phil and I to chop the potatoes into fry shape, but there was only one chopping board. We stood so close together, I could feel Phil's body heat. I blushed, remembering the sight of his huge schlong erect through his jeans, and almost chopped my finger off. We didn't chat while preparing dinner, just listened to the kitchen ASMR and the sound of Phil's mum humming the tune stuck in her head. 

"Okay boys, I'll put this all in the oven and call you when it's ready!" His mum announced, smile plastered on her face. Phil took me back upstairs, reluctant to address the situation from earlier. Having had a moment to reflect on it, I was now feeling uncharacteristically confident. 

He closed the bedroom door, but before he could say anything at all, I said, "I actually learnt a new song on the piano recently, I want to show it to you." Phil nodded eagerly, happy to see me break the awkward tension. 

I grabbed Phil's keyboard and spun it around, now I could play while looking at Phil instead of facing the wall. My heart was shaking, but it was with the good kind of adrenaline that boils your blood and makes you see stars, not the kind that feels like drowning or suffocating in a tiny confined space. 

"This is 100 gecs, you've probably never heard of them," I told him before pressing my fingers to the keys. As I serenaded Phil, I glanced up and saw him entranced by my music. Boner alert.

Once I'd completed my gecs, I stepped away from the keyboard and walked towards Phil and went to sit beside him on the bed, brave enough to get close to him. Phil grabbed the fabric of my shirt and I stumbled onto the mattress. He looked into my eyes before- kissing me?!?! I swear, I was going to faint right then and there on top of him. I forgot how to breathe.

It was a moment that seemed to last an eternity. Fireworks exploded in my stomach and in my chest as I went lightheaded, all logical thought swept away by the gentle breeze escaping through the open window of Phil's bedroom.

But Phil pulled away from me, and the look in his eyes was different. The glazed expression he'd worn before was gone. "Uh..." was all he could stutter out. My face faltered, confused at his reaction. Was I that bad at kissing? I know it was my first time but surely Phil wasn't some sex god kissing expert? Who was he to judge?

"Um, Dan," Phil said, looking away from me, "I have an idea."

My heart skipped a beat.

"You said you can't break the curse unless you kill the shaman in Egypt, right?"

Oh... it was just about my stupid bloody curse again. I groaned, but only internally. I didn't want to start any shit right now. 

"Well, I never said I had to kill him, just that it would thrive as long as the shaman lives," I corrected him, though I supposed killing the shaman was a hypothetical option. But how would I ever get to Egypt?

"I can take you to Egypt."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave kudos if you're enjoying the story!! <3


	18. Supernatural Lust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: self harm but not really? bodily mutilation? he cuts :/

We sat around the dinner table in attempted silence, my mom breaking it to make small talk with Dan, who was clearly uncomfortable. She didn’t notice though, just trying to be polite. He answered questions about his school subjects and college plans while I contemplated what the fuck was happening to me.

Why did I get such a vast cosmic boner when Dan played the piano? I did not feel that way about him! Or at least, I didn’t think I did. Something was wrong with the blood in my cock. Maybe the supermoon was affecting the tides… within my body. No, this was something else. As soon as Dan stopped playing, my Herculean erection dwindled, so he had to be the cause, but this was no regular case of raging teenage hormones. It was completely out of my control, like I was under some kind of a spell.

“Phil, are you finished with your steak?” Mom asked me. I looked up to realise she and Dan had finished eating- my thoughts had distracted me from the meal. I nodded because I was hardly hungry anyway, and Dan and I had to get down to business.

I took Dan back to my room and opened my closet doors to reveal my altar.

“This is where the magic happens.”

Dan sat down on my bed and I sat beside him and began to explain.

“I was going to use the power of the supermoon to try and restore my blood to a healthy state, but hearing about your curse…” I said, “I think we can make it to Egypt.”

“You still haven’t explained what the fuck that means,” Dan grumbled.

I glared at him, “I’m getting to that, Dan.” I stood up and went back to my altar, opening one of the drawers in my vanity, pulling out my grimoire. I flipped through the book to find the right pages. “Here!” I announced, tossing the book to Dan.

“I’ve done some research, research about interspace travel through cosmic witchcraft.” I watched as Dan stared at the page, trying to make sense of the diagrams and runes accompanied by magical ingredients he surely didn’t recognise.

“Under the power of the supermoon, I think your blood is powerful enough to teleport us to Egypt, where we can fight the evil shaman and free you of your curse!" Dan was silent for a few seconds that felt like hours. A few grippits. I sat anxiously beside him, waiting for the verdict.

“And you think this will honestly work? You’re not having a laugh?” I shook my head, trying to give him the most sincere of eye contact.

“We can make the portal and end your curse right here and now, but we have to activate it while the supermoon is high,” I explained, “You have to say the word.”

Dan looked from the book, to me, back to the book, and then back to me. With a deep breath, he nodded, and looked at the book. His eyes darted from the book to me, back to the book, and then back to me again. He nodded again.

“Let’s make the bloody portal, I guess.”

\---

A strong moonlight streamed through the open window of Phil's bedroom, landing on the vast expanse of his bedroom floor. We'd moved some of his furniture to the very edge of his room to make space on the carpet for the portal. Phil had made a large ring of salt, which neither of us were permitted to enter until all the preparations were made.

Phil was grasping a mortar and pestle, grinding up a mixture of herbs or something, I wasn't really paying attention. I was just waiting for him to give me the signal to cut myself. I didn't understand any of the magic and quite frankly, I seriously could not give a fuck. I just needed to get this curse lifted.

I looked around anxiously, the tension of the ritual building. I admired Phil's lavish collection of candles that he'd lit for the purpose of the ritual. I didn't really know what significance they played, but I guessed it had something to do with fire.

Phil sifted the powdered herbs into a separate bowl and motioned for me to come over.

"I need your blood in this bowl."

I nodded and picked up the blade he'd laid out with the other tools. With a deep breath, I winced and sliced a clean line into my arm, hovering above the bowl, allowing the blood to drip into the magical mixture.

"This is going to become a paste. We need to paint the portal and ourselves with it to link us together, that's what will connect us to the time portal and allow us to go through."

"You want me to put blooded herbs on my body?"

"Do you want the curse to lift, Daniel?" Phil said, raising an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes. Obviously, we’d already come this far. Sometimes I wished Phil would just shut up.

Phil messed around with some other magical things while I zoned out and looked at the stars in the sky through the little window. I felt a warm touch against my arm- It was Phil. I blushed instinctively from the gentle connection. He led me into the salt circle, which he’d informed me was for purification from evil energies outside the circle. He sat cross-legged on the floor in the middle of the circle, bowl of magical paste in his hands. I sat in front of him.

Phil leaned forward and I felt light-headed, staring into those bright blue eyes. He reached out and put some of the bloodied herbal mixture onto my face. I felt like I was fucking Simba being christened. He then did the same to his own face. He used the remaining paste to draw a symbol on the floor in between the both of us. 

“We need more blood to activate the portal, right over this symbol." 

I took the blade again, cutting my arm once more. The room seemed to lighten, the moonlight shined harder upon us. I started to go a bit light-headed from the blood loss combined with the brightness of the moonlight. Phil started reciting some mantra he’d written in that book, but it was in a language foreign to me, so I didn’t know what he was saying.

Light rose up from the floor as well- It looked artificial like LEDs, but I knew that wasn’t it- The light was forming a ring around us, right on top of where Phil had drawn the salt circle. Phil kept chanting, and the last thing I remembered was a fierce vibration in the air around us as the white light overcame my vision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm working really hard on this story guys <3 please leave kudos if you're enjoying it!! great things in the next chapters to come~ xoxo


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